The document discusses the Software Communications Architecture (SCA) 4.0, highlighting its fundamental changes from version 2.2.2 and its adoption for software-defined radios (SDRs). Key enhancements include model-driven development, a variety of transport mechanisms such as CORBA, and optimizations for performance and resource efficiency. The document also addresses challenges in migrating existing SCA components to the new standard and the importance of backward compatibility.

1. Removing the Barriers to SCA 4.0 Adoption
Software Defined Radio Webcast
Andrew Foster, Product Manager, PrismTech
May 7 2013

2. 2Agenda
Introduction to SCA 4.0
SCA 4.0 CORBA PSM
SCA 4.0 Middleware
Migrating from SCA 2.2.2 to SCA 4.0
Conclusions

3. Introduction to SCA 4.0

4. 4
The Software Communications
Architecture (SCA) has remained
largely unchanged since 2001
when v2.2 was released and the
Joint Tactical Radio System
(JTRS) program started.
SCA 4.0, approved February
2012, represents a radical shift in
the approach to specifying the
architecture, design and
implementation of a software
defined radio (SDR).
Background
4

5. 5SCA 4.0 Approach
The SCA 4.0 specification has been developed following
the Model Driven Architecture (MDA) approach
The base specification has been developed as a
Platform Independent Model (PIM)
Appendices define transfer mechanisms to provide co-
located or distributed client/server operations
Currently the only transfer mechanism indentified in
Appendix E is based on the Common Object Request
Broker Architecture (CORBA)
Appendix E-1 defines the CORBA PSM for use with SCA
4.0

6. SCA v4.0
JPEO Objectives
Reduce development resources
Budget
Schedule
Reduce test and certification time
Reduce number of requirements
Increase use of automated testing
Improve performance
Reduce boot up latency
Reduce memory footprint
Technology refresh
Incorporate lessons learned
Backwards compatibility of applications is an
overarching tenet
6

7. SCA v4.0 Key Changes
Lightweight Components
Component Registration
Deployment Optimizations
Profiles and SCA Conformance
Platform Independent Model
7

8. 8
Operating System
ORB and
CORBA
Services
Core Framework Control,
Services, Devices, and
File access
AEP
Application Resources
CORBA APIs
CF Interfaces
Operating System
ORB and
CORBA
Services
Core Framework Control,
Services, Devices, and
File access
AEP
Application Resources
CORBA APIs
CF Interfaces
SCA 2.2.2 OE and AEP
SCA 2.2.2 specifies the use of CORBA as the protocol for data transfer and inter-
process application function calls on the GPP.
It does not preclude the use of CORBA on a DSP or FPGA but assumes that these
are not CORBA capable CEs and recommends MHAL or MOCB instead.

9. SCA 2.2.2 - CORBA on GPP, MHAL to Communicate with DSP and FPGA
Host Development Tools
GPP DSP FPGA
SCA 2.2.2.
CF
CORBA ORB
MHAL transport
CORBA on GPP, MHAL to Communicate with DSP and FPGA
Component
A
SCA Resource
CORBA
MHAL
Waveform
Logic
C
Waveform
Logic
D
MHAL
Device
MHAL
Component
B
SCA Resource
CORBA
CORBA
transport
e.g., IIOP
(GIOP over
TCP/IP)
SCA 2.2.2 Communication Model
9

10. 10SCA 4.0 OE and AEP
SCA products can be realized using a variety of transports and technologies (e.g.
CORBA, C++, SOAP, Data Distribution Service (DDS), MHAL Communication
Service, etc.). (excerpt from Appendix E)

11. 11Model Driven Architecture Views
SCA 2.2
SCA 2.2.1
SCA 2.2.2
CIM – Computationally Independent Model
PIM – Platform Independent Model
PSM – Platform Specific Model
PSI – Platform Specific Implementation
SCA 4.0 AppendicesSCA 4.0
Functional
View
Architecture
View
Design
Model
Implementation
and Deployment

12. 12PSM Appendices
E Transports and Technologies
E.1 – Common Object Request Broker
Architecture (CORBA)
Full – Provides features for general platforms and
applications
Lightweight – Provides minimal features for highly
constrained resources
Ultra-Lightweight – Essential capabilities supported
by FPGAs
E.2 – C++
E.3 – OMG Interface Definition Language

13. SCA 4.0 CORBA PSM

14. 14Appendix E-1 CORBA PSM
Three CORBA profiles based on CORBA/e with
additional features from RT CORBA
The SCA CORBA profiles are characterized as follows:
1. SCA Full CORBA (Full) Profile – is the Full CORBA profile and is
targeted for applications hosted on GPPs
2. SCA Lightweight CORBA (LW) Profile – is more constrained than the
SCA Full CORBA Profile and is targeted towards environments with
limited computing support (e.g. DSPs)
3. SCA Ultra-Lightweight CORBA (ULW) Profile – is more constrained
than the SCA Lightweight CORBA Profile and is specifically intended
for processing elements with even more limited computing support
(e.g., DSPs & FPGAs)

15. 15Appendix E-1 CORBA PSM
Each profile characterizes the IDL features allowed for definition of
interfaces between application components
The LW Profile narrows the IDL feature set in order to limit the
processing overhead caused by a number of types in the Full
Profile
The ULW Profile narrows the constructs even further to
accommodate typical limitations of DSP and FPGA environments
The shared IDL foundation of the profiles facilitates portability not
only between platforms, but also across processing elements and
transfer mechanisms
Component portability may be enhanced if the IDL from more
constrained profiles are used when defining application interfaces
targeted for components deployed within less constrained
processing elements

16. 16Full Profile (Highlights)
Based on CORBA/e Compact Profile
IDL data types - boolean, octet, short, unsigned short, long,
unsigned long, enum, float, double, long double, long long,
unsigned long long, char, string, unions, arrays, struct, sequence,
object
Minimum CORBA POA
Restricted Any data type
SYNC_SCOPE_POLICY
RT CORBA – including PriorityModelPolicy,
PriorityBandedConnectionPolicy, ServerProtocolPolicy and RT
Thread Pools
COS Event – PushSupplier and PushConsumer
ORB_init() parameters - allows Root POA to be created with non
default parameters

17. 17Lightweight Profile (Highlights)
Based on CORBA/e Micro Profile
IDL data types - boolean, octet, short, unsigned short,
long, unsigned long, enum, float, double, long double,
long long, unsigned long long, char, string, unions,
arrays, struct, sequence, object
Any data type not allowed
Root only POA
ORB_init() parameters - allows Root POA to be created
with non default parameters

18. 18Ultra-Lightweight Profile (Highlights)
ULW profile only standardises
the subset of IDL a CORBA
capable FPGA can use
String, Any or Object data
types not allowed
ORB internal details are
unspecified and could be
implemented in a number of
ways, for example:
1. Software ORB – using a
processor core
embedded on the FPGA
2. Hardware ORB – key
functions of an ORB
implemented as an IP
core
IDL basic data types Short
Long
unsigned short
unsigned long
Boolean
Octet
IDL complex data types struct (restricted to supported basic data types)
sequence (restricted to supported basic data types)
Enum
IDL keywords Module
Interface
In
Out
Inout
Void
Typedef
oneway
Return value
Return values of a basic data type to be supported

19. SCA 4.0 – CORBA on GPP, DSP and FPGA
Host Development Tools
GPP DSP FPGA
SCA
2.2.2CFCORBA ORB CORBA ORB CORBA ORB
CORBA Transport
CORBA on GPP, DSP and FPGA
SCA Resource
Component
A
SCA Resource
CORBA
CORBA
CORBA
CORBA
Component
C
Component
D
SCA Resource
Component
B
SCA Resource
CORBA
SCA 4.0 Communication Model
CORBA
transport
e.g., IIOP
(GIOP over
TCP/IP)
19

20. SCA 4.0 Middleware

21. Spectra SDR Product Suite 21
Spectra
CX
Spectra
CF
Spectra
CDB
Spectra
DTP
Spectra CX is a model-
driven development tool
that enables SDR and
waveform software to be
rapidly developed,
integrated and tested.
Spectra CX allows radio
platform details to be
packaged and delivered to
distributed independent
development groups using
the tools to hide platform
complexities and IP as
needed.
Spectra Core
Framework (CF) is a
high-performance,
ultra low footprint,
radio management
framework providing
advanced capabilities
and extensibilities for
multiple software
radio architectures.
Spectra Common Data Bus
(CDB) is a high-
performance, integrated data
bus providing a unified data
exchange protocol and
format. Spectra CDB
supports a wide range of
General Purpose Processor
(GPP), Digital Signal
Processor (DSP) and Field
Programmable Gate Array
(FPGA) processing
elements.
Spectra DTP is an SDR
development and test
platform that supports
waveform design and
implementation for military,
homeland security and
commercial SDRs. Spectra
DTP is an optimized small
form-factor platform with low
power consumption that
enables the development,
testing and deployment of
waveforms.
PrismTech Proprietary Information

22. 22Spectra Common Data Bus (CDB) – “SCA Everywhere”
SCA Everywhere
Spectra ORB
C & C++
Spectra ORB
C
Spectra ICO
VHDL
Extensible Transport Framework (TCP/IP, Rapid IO, Gigabyte Ethernet etc.)
Waveform
Component
Waveform
Component
Waveform
Component
GPP DSP FPGA
Spectra SCA
CF
Standards based, high performance, low footprint, fully interoperable COTS SCA middleware
solution that can be deployed across multiple processor types, including GPP, DSP and FPGA
environments

23. 23Spectra Common Data Bus (CDB)
Spectra Common Data Bus (CDB) is a fully integrated and optimized
Software Defined Radio (SDR) middleware stack
Spectra Common Data Bus (CDB), runs across a wide range of
General Purpose Processor (GPP), Digital Signal Processor (DSP) and
Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) processing elements
Spectra CDB includes the following:
Spectra ORB
C++ ORB (for GPP)
C ORB (for GPP and DSP)
Spectra Lightweight Services
Spectra Lightweight Naming Service
Spectra Lightweight Event Service
Spectra Lightweight Log Service
Spectra IP Core ORB (ICO) for FPGA and ASIC

24. Spectra ORB SCA 4 Edition
Common Micro Kernel Architecture Supporting
Multiple Language Implementations (C & C++)
IDL
Compiler
Micro ORB Kernel
Server
IDL
Client
IDL ORB
Interface
GIOP
Extensible Transport Framework
IIOP DIOPSSLIOP
RT CORBA
Portable
Interceptors
CORBA
Messaging
Pluggable POA
RT-POAM-POA
Threading Models
Thread Pool
Thread Per Connection
3rd Party
Scheduler
SHMIOP
OpenFusion e*ORB SDR Lightweight COS – Naming, Event & Log
Thread per Request
UIOP
Key Features:
Fully compliant with the Software Communications
Architecture (SCA) v4.0 specification, including
pluggable support for :
SCA 4.0 Full Profile (C++ ORB)
SCA 4.0 Lightweight Profile (C & C++ ORBs)
Minimum CORBA (C & C++ ORBS)
CORBA/e Compact Profile (C & C++ ORBs)
CORBA/e Micro Profile (C ORB)
IDL compiler (C and C++)
GIOP 1.1
Extensible Transport Framework (ETF) – providing
multi-transport plug-in support, for transports such
as TCP/IP, UDP and Compact PCI
Multi-thread safe
Extensible server-side threading framework.
Pluggable POA framework
Pluggable ANY data type support
Request timeouts
Pluggable Real-Time CORBA support
Bundled Lightweight Naming. Event & Log Services
(both C & C++)
Availability:
Broad platform support, including:
OS: Windows, Solaris, Linux
RTOS: VxWorks, Integrity, LynxOS, QNX, ThreadX, TI BIOS, OSEck
CPU: x86, SPARC, ARM, PowerPC, TI C64x, TI C55x
24

25. 25Spectra ORB SCA 4 Edition – Key Benefits
An ORB specifically designed for SDR and other resource
constrained DRE (Distributed Real-Time Embedded) systems
Smallest footprint and memory overhead
More efficient use of resources
Highest performance and throughput
The best ORB for SCA-compliant SDR development
Open and configurable architecture
Highly portable, scalable, flexible & reliable
An interoperable GPP and DSP solution in the same ORB family
Complementary SDR products & wireless software solutions
Key middleware component of the PrismTech’s SDR
products
Lowers Total Cost Of Ownership – no runtime fees for internal
use

26. Spectra IP Core ORB (ICO)
ICO CORBA Core Available For Any FPGA or ASIC
ICO is a hardware implementation of a
CORBA ORB
Implements a subset of the most commonly
used CORBA functions
Eliminates the need to develop custom proxies
(HALs) on GPP processor or DSP in order to
establish communication with the FPGA
ICO has been written in portable VHDL & can
be synthesized onto any FPGA or ASIC
platform
The ICO design environment
consists of:
The ICO engine (IP interface core)
IDL to VHDL code generator
A hardware developer treats ICO as
any other IP core interface
Software developers treat ICO
components as they would any other
CORBA object
26

27. ICO Feature Summary
Provides a superset of functionality that is fully compliant with the Software Communications
Architecture (SCA) v4.0 specification:
Ultra-Lightweight CORBA Profile
Supports GIOP version 1.0 protocol
Support for CORBA clients and servers
Servants implemented on FPGA in VHDL
Clients can be internal to the FPGA written in VHDL or external to FPGA(e.g., on a GPP or DSP) implemented by
a conventional software application
No arbitrary restriction on the number of clients and servers that can be supported on the FPGA IDL compiler
support
One way operations and two way operations
Supports IDL to VHDL language mapping and will auto generate VHDL equivalent of CORBA stubs and
skeletons allowing ICO to be easily connected to servants implementing waveform logic
Based on CORBA 3 grammar, but only supporting a subset of data types and constructs:
Simple data types - Char, Octet, Boolean, Short, Unsigned Short, Long, Unsigned Long, Long Long, Unsigned
Long Long, String
Any type (of simple data types)
Object Type
Enumerated Types
Complex data types
Struct
Sequence
Array
CORBA exceptions support
User exceptions
System exceptions
Pluggable and open transport interface allows user-defined custom transports to be plugged into ICO
Written in pure VHDL and portable across FPGA devices
27

28. Spectra ICO – Key Benefits
High performance standards based messaging for FPGAs
Greatly simplifies FPGA application integration
Helps support FPGA application portability
High throughput low latency messaging solution
Helps reduce time to market for new FPGA applications
Low footprint—efficient use of available FPGA resources
Available as part of a complete range of complementary SDR
products
Can support a unified messaging protocol across GPP, DSP and
FPGA processing elements
Can support a broad range of FPGA devices from the leading
vendors
No export restrictions - not subject to International Traffic in Arms
Regulations (ITAR) or Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) export
restrictions
28

29. 29Spectra SCA 4.0 Roadmap
Spectra SCA 4 Edition – GA availability May
2013
Spectra ICO v2.3 – available now
ICO already supports SCA 4.0 Ultra-Lightweight Profile
ULW profile defines a subset of the functionality and data types that ICO can
actually support

30. Migrating from SCA 2.2.2 to 4.0

31. 31SCA 4.0 Resource Interface

32. 32Resource Interfaces Supported by Each CORBA Profile
Resource Interfaces Optional
Category
Attributes & Operations Full
Profile
Lightweight
Profile
Ultra-
Lightweight
Profile
LifeCycle Mandatory initialize():void
releaseObject(): void   
ComponentIdentifier INTERROBABLE identifier: string
  ×**
PortAccessor CONNECTABLE connectUsesPorts(Connections): void
disconnectPorts(Connections): void
getProvidedPorts(Connections): void
  ×***
ControllableComponent CONTROLLABLE started: boolean
start(): void
stop(): void
  
PropertySet CONFIGURABLE configure(Properties): void
query(Properties): void  ×* ×
TestableObject TESTABLE runTest(unsigned long, Properties): void
 ×* ×
* Requires support for Any data type
** Requires support for String data type
** Requires support for Object data type

33. 33SCA 2.2.2 Resource Interface
class Resource Interface
«CORBAInterface»
Resource
+ identifier: string
+ start() : void
+ stop() : void
«CORBAInterface»
PropertySet
+ query(configProperties :Properties) : void
+ configure(configProperties :Properties*) : void
«CORBAInterface»
PortSupplier
+ getPort(name :string) : Object
«CORBAInterface»
LifeCycle
+ initialize() : void
+ releaseObject() : void
«CORBAInterface»
TestableObject
+ runTest(testid :unsigned long, testValues :Properties*) : void
Waveform
Component

34. 34
Leveraging The Benefits of SCA 4.0 Middleware in an
SCA 2.2.2 Environment
Can I use SCA 4.0 middleware to enable the redeployment of SCA
CORBA enabled components on a DSP or FPGA in an SCA 2.2.2
based system ?
Problem - SCA 2.2.2 Resource interface is fixed and the
Lightweight and Ultra-Lightweight Profiles do not support all of the
required IDL types
Solution
Spectra ORB SCA 4 Edition C ORB Full Profile can be used on a DSP and still
support full SCA 2.2.2 Resource interface
Spectra ICO with its “Meta Driven Design” can also support all of the IDL types
required by the SCA 2.2.2 Resource interface
Users can create SCA 2.2.2 compliant applications with Resource
components deployed on a DSP or FPGA
In an SCA 4.0 OE core business logic for DSP or FPGA component
can remain unchanged, but Resource interface IDL modified to
support light weight component interface hosted on Light or Ultra-
Lightweight Profile compliant middleware

35. 35SCA 2.2.2 to SCA 4.0 Migration Issues
A significant issue that must be addressed is that SCA 4.0 does not
support backwards compatibility with SCA 2.2.2 application and
platform components as originally envisaged
An SCA 4.0 Core Framework will not be able to deploy an SCA
2.2.2 waveform
Parts of the Resource and Device interfaces such as the connection
APIs have changed between SCA 2.2.2 and 4.0
Manually migrating SCA 2.2.2 application or platform components to
SCA 4.0 could be a time consuming process
This is major area where PrismTech MDD approaches can bring
significant benefits by helping automate much of the migration
process

36. 36Automating the SCA 2.2.2 to SCA 4.0 Migration Process
class Resource Interface
«CORBAInterface»
Resource
+ identifier: string
+ start() : void
+ stop() : void
«CORBAInterface»
PropertySet
+ query(configProperties :Properties) : void
+ configure(configProperties :Properties*) : void
«CORBAInterface»
PortSupplier
+ getPort(name :string) : Object
«CORBAInterface»
LifeCycle
+ initialize() : void
+ releaseObject() : void
«CORBAInterface»
TestableObject
+ runTest(testid :unsigned long, testValues :Properties*) : void
Wav eform
Component
SCA 4.0
SCA 2.2.2
MDD tools such as Spectra CX will be able to auto-generate an SCA 4.0 model from a SCA 2.2.2
model using a set of mapping rules
The MDD tools will generate the SCA 4.0 component container code (including XML, source
code, make files) based on the target PSM technologies
If the business code is also being maintained as part of the SCA 2.2.2 model as is possible with
tool such Spectra CX then it can also be automatically migrated into the new SCA 4.0 model
If the business code is being maintained independently (e.g. library includes) then these
references can be automatically migrated into the SCA 4.0 model

37. 37Conclusions
SCA 4.0 introduces major changes to the standard
Interfaces now defined specified as a PIM that can be mapped to different
PSMs
Standard aligns with a Model Driven Development approach to developing
SDRs
New CORBA PSM extends SCA support for DSPs and FPGAs
Using Spectra ORB and ICO allows users to develop components for DSPs
and FPGAs and deploy in an SCA 2.2.2 OE
Migrating SCA 2.2.2 Resource components to SCA 4.0 Lightweight
Resource components is possible but requires IDL changes and CORBA
Profile Support
Spectra ORB and ICO’s support for multi profiles in single implementation
makes SCA 4.0 middleware adoption straight forward
Model Driven Development and advanced tooling with automated migration
support will be a key to the successful of adoption of SCA 4.0

38. Additional Information
Andrew Foster e-mail:
awf@prismtech.com
Web Site:
www.prismtech.com/spectra
Or contact your PrismTech account
manager
38

39. 3939
Thank You